Current sensors are used in various applications to measure an electric current flowing through a conductor, for example a metal conductor or other type of conductor. Various types of current sensors are commonly employed in various applications. A first type of current sensor comprises magnetic current sensors, which measure a magnetic field generated by an electric current. Such a measurement does not need a galvanic coupling of a sensor circuit and the measured current. Magnetic current sensors may be coreless magnetic current sensors, where a magnetic flux generated by the current is not guided by permeable magnetic parts such as a soft magnetic transformer core, or magnetic current sensors with a core, where the current flows through a conductor which is enclosed by a magnetic core with a high permeability.
A second type of current sensors comprises shunt current sensors, where a voltage drop across a portion of a conductor, for example a portion with a defined resistance, is measured when current flows through it. Such a measurement often requires a galvanic coupling of sensor circuit and measured current.
With both of the aboves types, a conductor portion where the current is measured may be integrated with the sensor or external to the sensor (for example a wire passing through a ring core).
Current sensors, in particular conductor portions thereof through which the current to be measured flows, have been increasingly miniaturized in recent years. For example, a miniaturization of the conductor portion along a direction of current flow in some cases may serve to reduce power dissipation and generation of heat by the dissipated power. However, such a miniaturization may lead to inaccuracies or measurement errors, as a geometry of the surroundings of the current sensor and in particular a contact geometry may affect the measurement to a greater extent than for larger current sensors. This in particular applies to current sensors where the conductor is integrated with the current sensor.